Retailers closer to turning Thanksgiving into ‘Black Thursday’

Today, Wal-Mart announced it would open its doors at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. That’s two hours earlier than 2011, so at this rate, Wal-Mart will be opening at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving Day before the end of the decade. We already have Black Friday, Cyber Monday and (for the procrastinators) Christmas Eve, and now we have Black Turkey Day. This is not what the pilgrims wanted.

And it’s not just Wal-Mart. Sears will also open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Target hasn’t officially announced anything, but the site blackfriday.com leaked a flyer that indicates it will open at 9 p.m. Best Buy will open shockingly late, at midnight. Four hours is like four years in Black Thursday time!

“Those who are lined up inside the store between 10 p.m and 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving will be able to purchase the following items: an Apple iPad 2 with Wi-Fi for $399 plus a $74 Wal-Mart gift card; an Emerson 32-inch LCD TV for $148, down from the original $228; and an LG Blu-ray Disc player for $38, about half off the original price. For those who are inside the store during that one-hour window on Thanksgiving and find the product sold out, Wal-Mart will offer a guarantee card for the item.”

So expect the crowds to be even crazier this year, the lines to start earlier, and the creep to keep creeping. Ready for Black Wednesday Before Thanksgiving?